Large brands tend to fall into a common trap—they mistake visibility for effectiveness. While it may seem counterintuitive for large brands and their companies to misinterpret such a fundamental concept, the sheer scale of their operations can sometimes blur the line between executional tactics and efforts that strategically align with the needs, wants and personalized preferences of their audience, as well as with those goals specific to the business.

At the other end of the spectrum are small brands, which often possess limited resources and narrower reach. These constraints force their organizations to adopt a more nuanced approach to visibility—instead of chasing after broad awareness, they tend to focus on the quality of their interactions and engagements.

Large brands frequently invest substantial resources in marketing campaigns in an effort to ensure they are seen by as many eyes as possible. They believe that saturating the market with their logo, product or message is a surefire way to drive success in the quest for brand recognition.

However, the danger lies in equating this widespread visibility with actual effectiveness. It’s all too easy for large brands to become preoccupied with metrics like impressions, click-through rates and social media likes and to lose sight of the core question: Are these efforts translating into real business results and how are they influencing purchase behavior?

During the pandemic, brand loyalty was upended by both entrepreneurs and small businesses alike who took advantage of people’s need to escape the pandemic on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. These upstarts were able to be extremely agile with content that was both entertaining and complemented by messaging that was personalized around its audience.

This McKinsey post documents how “The pandemic ushered in an unprecedented level of channel switching and brand loyalty disruption. A whopping 75% of consumers tried new shopping behaviors, with many of them citing convenience and value. Fully 39% of them, mainly Gen Z and millennials, deserted trusted brands for new ones. That restlessness is reflected in the fact that many younger consumers say that they are still searching for brands that reflect their values.”

This is further explained in this Harvard Business Review article: “We have learned that marketing messages need to be personally relevant, aligned to an individual’s situation and values, as opposed to demographics, such as age and gender. Creating a personal, human connection within any commercial message requires defining consumer segments that describe people according to multiple dimensions that influence their purchasing behavior.”

Large brands can learn valuable lessons from their smaller counterparts. While visibility remains essential, it should not be the sole yardstick of success. Small brands understand that effectiveness should be measured not just by how many people see their message, but by how deeply it resonates with their target audience. They prioritize building meaningful relationships, providing exceptional customer experiences and delivering products or services that genuinely solve problems or fulfill needs. In doing so, they create a loyal customer base that serves as a foundation for sustainable growth.

To strike the right balance between visibility and effectiveness, brands of all sizes should consider: